Major Programs Enter 2009 Overlooked

College Football Spring Storylines 2009 looks at the key developments and big news from spring ball.

It's not often a traditional power like Michigan can be called be called overlooked, but a 4-8 season will do plenty of things to a program other than just riling up the fanbase. In this case, it makes the Wolverines primed for a surprise season.

And they're not alone.

We'll even invite Florida State to the party dadgummit. Florida, Oklahoma, USC and Texas are laughing but inevitably they'll have their season(s) of woe. Until then, some big programs are giving us material in this feature on programs on the rise.

First up, Michigan. Former coach Lloyd Carr did a tremendous job guiding the Wolverines to a championship in 1997 and another decade plus of Big Ten leadership. He also failed to catch that wave of new offensive thinking that crashed upon college football's shores in the last few season. So out went Carr, in went snake oil wizard Rich Rodriguez who promptly led Michigan to the promised land directed the Wolverines to a three-win season.

Hey, at least he didn't lose to Appalachian State.

Last year's problems are hopefully today's lessons. Michigan set about fixing its 2008 quarterback disaster by watching sometimes starter Steven Threet transfer, making way for two athletic freshmen in Tate Forcier and speedy Denard Robinson. Forcier is in for the spring and drawing raves with his ability to make passes on the run.

He's a freshman so they'll struggle there this year but at least the quarterback piece of the puzzle seems to be set. Video of him running around a lot in Michigan's spring game, below.

Elsewhere, Tennessee is entering a new era under the "crazy" Lane Kiffin. The obvious spring situation involves working out the kinks with an new coaching staff and fitting the talent Kiffin's system.

Spring is the best shot for some veterans, particularly on offense, to establish themselves before a small army of much-hyped freshmen arrive over the summer. The quarterback and tailback situations aren't dire, but it's hard to call them satisfactory either.

In the ACC, Florida State is happy to be working on football, following NCAA sanctions from an academic fraud case that were levied in early March. Things are actually a bit brighter this spring with an established quarterback in Christian Ponder. He was a bit of a surprise starter last year, but offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher has taken a liking to him. With that faith comes the possibility of expanding the offense and Ponder's role in it, which maybe might mean a return to a decent offense for the Seminoles.

The oddball on this list is Baylor out of the Big 12. Basically, quarterback Robert Griffin is a unique athlete who capped spring ball with a 310-yard, three-touchdown outing in coach Art Briles' wide-open system. There's not a ton of talent around him but great players in an efficient system can take a team far in college football. He's clearly developing in putting together a nice spring, scary stuff.

Finally, UCLA has put some pieces together to rebound from last year's 4-8 disappointment. Incumbent quarterback Kevin Craft appears to be out in favor of redshirt freshman Kevin Prince and possibly true freshman Richard Brehaut.

The Bruins also shifted quarterback Chris Forcier to receiver. The status of the offensive line is still an unknown but it doesn't appear to have suffered as many injuries as last year while almost certainly drawing much more attention from the coaching staff that needs a productive line if it is to accomplish anything offensively in 2009.